Chapter 11

Being an emperor is no easy task. In modern terms, Emperor Zhao Yuansi of the Great Wei Dynasty had to wake up at around four in the morning, hold the morning court at five o'clock (the hour of Yin), and then, after breakfast, rush to the Chui Gong Hall to begin his busy day of governance.

Such intense work has often left the emperors of the Great Wei Dynasty, who have always been diligent in state affairs, physically drained by middle age, as is the case with the current Emperor Zhao Yuansi.

In his younger years, he felt no strain, but now, Zhao Yuansi increasingly finds himself struggling to keep up. Therefore, after each morning court, if there are other important matters, he chooses to have breakfast in the Wende Hall, where he can rest a bit and take a short nap to regain his energy for the day's hard work.

This precious nap time usually lasts less than an hour, because before the hour of Si (ninth hour), Zhao Yuansi must arrive at the Chui Gong Hall to set an example for his ministers.

The ministers who attend the morning court generally return to their residences at this time to catch a few more hours of sleep, and then arrive at their respective offices before the hour of Si to begin handling their duties.

The Chancellor He Xiangxu, the Left Chancellor Lin Yuyang, and the Right Chancellor Yu Ziqi, however, are not required to attend the morning court, so they do not need to wake up early. According to custom, they usually enter the palace around the hour of Chen and come to the Chui Gong Hall. While Emperor Zhao Yuansi is resting in the Wende Hall, they handle some of the memorials submitted by the six departments, separating the more sensitive ones to place on the emperor's desk for his review.

However, today, an unexpected visitor arrived at the Chui Gong Hall.

This unexpected visitor was none other than the Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, who had suffered a minor defeat in a confrontation with the emperor the previous day.

"Rumors say that this prince usually sleeps until the sun is high in the sky before getting out of bed, yet today he came to the Chui Gong Hall so early... Could he be here to apologize to His Majesty? Hmm... Yesterday, His Majesty got a hold of his weak point, leaving this prince no choice but to submit."

Left Chancellor Lin Yuyang secretly glanced at Zhao Hongrun, who was standing behind him with a smile, but did not dare to ask. He continued to review the memorials.

While marveling at the wisdom of the old, Lin Yuyang began to write on the memorial.

At that moment, he suddenly heard Zhao Hongrun exclaim behind him.

"Ah—!!"

Lin Yuyang, caught off guard, jumped and trembled, causing the ink to drip and stain the memorial, making it particularly noticeable.

"Your Highness, you..."

Under Lin Yuyang's puzzled gaze, Zhao Hongrun looked at the memorial on the table, stroked his smooth chin, and said in a mature tone, "Hmm, well judged! This murderer and robber, who has committed countless atrocities, should indeed be punished severely!"

"..."

Lin Yuyang opened his mouth, looked deeply at the Eighth Prince, and then returned his gaze to the memorial he was reviewing.

It was just a report from the Ministry of Works, stating that an official had reported that a few days ago, due to strong winds, the roof of a remote pavilion in the palace had been damaged. The Ministry of Works promptly sent craftsmen to repair it, costing several dozen taels of silver.

A trivial matter.

'I am too naive...'

Looking at the glaring ink stain on the memorial, Lin Yuyang felt like crying but could not.

At that moment, he finally realized that the Eighth Prince was not here to apologize to the emperor but to cause trouble for the officials of the Zhongshu Province.

Though he understood this, he could not say it outright, as it was clear that the Eighth Prince had come with a well-thought-out plan, making it difficult to catch him in a mistake.

Don't believe it? Try it!

"Your Highness, this is your first time coming to the Chui Gong Hall..."

Lin Yuyang calmly placed the memorial aside, preparing to let the ink dry.

"Yes," Zhao Hongrun said with a serious expression, as if he had repented, "I have always been mischievous, as the ministers must have heard. After listening to Father's reprimand yesterday, I could not sleep all night..."

'Because His Majesty cut off your monthly allowance from the Wenzhao Pavilion, that's why you couldn't sleep all night, right?'

Lin Yuyang wanted to laugh but dared not, so he picked up his teacup to drink some water as a cover.

To his surprise, the tea in the cup was already finished.

Seeing this, Lin Yuyang was about to call for a eunuch to bring more tea, but Zhao Hongrun noticed and shouted, "Someone, bring tea for Chancellor Lin!"

As soon as he spoke, his bodyguard, Mu Qing, walked in with a large copper pot and poured scalding hot water into Lin Yuyang's teacup.

"Chancellor Lin, please enjoy your tea," Mu Qing said with a smile, bowing respectfully.

"..." Lin Yuyang looked at Mu Qing, then at Zhao Hongrun, who was also smiling warmly, and carefully picked up the scalding teacup, but found it difficult to drink the boiling water.

After a moment, Lin Yuyang shook his head and put the teacup down, looking at Zhao Hongrun with a bitter smile. "Your Highness, why do you make things difficult for us?"

"Have you figured it out?" Zhao Hongrun's feigned surprise made the three ministers in the hall both laugh and cry.

"Mu Qing, bring tea for the ministers."

Zhao Hongrun waved his hand and instructed Mu Qing, then turned to the three chancellors, He Xiangxu, Lin Yuyang, and Yu Ziqi, and said seriously, "The three of you are the pillars of the Great Wei Dynasty. I do not wish to make things difficult for you. This is all because Father broke his word first and removed the plaque from my Xixiao Pavilion. I have been confined in this deep palace for a long time and yearn for freedom outside. If the three of you can speak a few good words for me to Father, I will remember your kindness." He then bowed deeply to the three chancellors.

Seeing this, He Xiangxu, Lin Yuyang, and Yu Ziqi quickly stood up to avoid his bow.

Listening to Zhao Hongrun's clear explanation, even though the three chancellors were unhappy with his disruption, their anger dissipated.

It is well known that the princes of the Great Wei Dynasty have a hard life.

For example, the Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, is already fourteen years old, but he has never experienced a fun childhood. Thinking of his own nephews, who at this age are all playing, while the princes of the Great Wei Dynasty face the high palace walls and sigh silently every day.

The deep palace is truly a prison.

"This is not an easy matter, Your Highness," Lin Yuyang said with a bitter smile. "Yesterday, you damaged what His Majesty cherished. Even if we plead for you now, it will be of no use."

"Then speak ill of me," Zhao Hongrun said, giving the three chancellors an idea. "Say bad things about me to Father, and make him so angry that he expels me from the palace."

'Do you think His Majesty is so easy to deceive?'

The three chancellors looked at Zhao Hongrun, both amused and exasperated. They found it amusing because all the other princes tried to please the emperor, but this Eighth Prince was truly unique.

"In short, if the three of you do not help me, I will not leave!" Zhao Hongrun used his ultimate tactic of being stubborn.

'Are you planning to blackmail us?'

Lin Yuyang was both angry and amused. He knew that if this prince did not get what he wanted, he would not give up, but the problem was that this matter was not so simple!

After all, Emperor Zhao Yuansi had clearly stated the previous day that the Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, possessed extraordinary talent but had a mischievous nature and should be strictly disciplined.

With the emperor deciding to discipline him, how could they, as ministers, openly oppose him?

'The only way now is to be cautious and avoid falling into this prince's trap.'

Having made up his mind, Lin Yuyang ignored Zhao Hongrun's presence, thinking that as long as he remained vigilant, he could overcome the prince's mischief.

'Oh! So you're not going to help me?'

Seeing that Lin Yuyang was ignoring him, Zhao Hongrun understood and smiled wickedly. He moved a stool and sat next to Lin Yuyang, watching him review the memorials and giving him "advice."

"Chancellor Lin's handwriting is excellent, with a unique style..."

"Eh? Chancellor Lin, what does this character mean?"

"You wrote it wrong, Chancellor Lin. Oh, it seems I was mistaken. Please continue..."

For the duration of half an incense stick, Lin Yuyang was tormented to the point of despair. He got up and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, please spare me. Look, there are several stacks of memorials waiting to be reviewed. If Your Highness continues to make things difficult for me, and the censors accuse me of being a useless official, how could Your Highness bear it?"

"Will you help me or not?" Zhao Hongrun asked with a smile.

Lin Yuyang was speechless for a moment, then his mind stirred, and he lowered his voice. "Your Highness, this matter cannot be decided by me alone..."

As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at He Xiangxu and Yu Ziqi, making the two chancellors inwardly curse him.

"I understand, I understand," Zhao Hongrun nodded amicably and moved his stool to sit next to the Right Chancellor, Yu Ziqi.

Before he could speak, Yu Ziqi quickly lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, I have always been on your side."

"Eh?" Not only was Lin Yuyang surprised, but even Zhao Hongrun was taken aback.

"Um... then Chancellor Yu, please continue your work. I will not disturb you," Zhao Hongrun said, satisfied, and moved away.

'You're not a good person either! We're all the same!'

'You have no right to say that? I was on the Eighth Prince's side from the beginning.'

Lin Yuyang and Yu Ziqi exchanged glances, as if silently arguing.

At that moment, Zhao Hongrun moved his stool and sat next to Chancellor He Xiangxu, making He Xiangxu's heart race. He thought, 'I am already over sixty. If you shout in my ear, I might faint from shock.'

To his surprise, Zhao Hongrun did not scare He Xiangxu. Perhaps he was also considerate of the chancellor's age and chose a different, more gentle way to cause trouble.

"Old Chancellor, are your shoulders sore? Let me massage them for you..."

"Hey? Old Chancellor, you don't look well..."

"Oh, how did you write what I said on the memorial?"

"..." He Xiangxu felt like crying but could not.

At sixty, his memory had already declined, and he was not as sharp as Lin Yuyang. Listening to Zhao Hongrun's chatter, he inadvertently wrote the prince's words on the memorial.

If this were discovered, it would be a laughingstock.

Just then, the eunuch Tong Xian's high-pitched voice echoed from outside the Chui Gong Hall.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

At that moment, Chancellor He Xiangxu was moved to tears.

'Your Majesty, you have finally come!'

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